Best Cuisinart Coffee Makers in 2023 [Reviewed]
When you’re going to be using something everyday for the foreseeable future, it requires a good amount of research and sincere thought. And with so many coffee makers to choose from, it can be a daunting task.
But arrowing your coffee maker decision down to a Cuisinart isn’t a bad idea — Cuisinart is obviously a big name in kitchen items and there’s a certain amount of clout with the brand.
Cuisinart offers a number of different coffee makers, ranging from single serve to automatic and even all-in-one machines. You won’t find Cuisinart manual coffee makers (i.e., French presses, pour over devices, cold brew pitchers, etc.), but that doesn’t mean there aren’t dozens of options to work with.
We’ve gone through and closely compared all of the different Cuisinart Coffee Makers, so read on to learn what model is best for you.
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Best Cuisinart Single-Serve Coffee Makers
Single-serve machines are great for a number of circumstances. They’re great for people who are the sole coffee drinker in a household, for those who like random cups throughout the day, and especially for those who appreciate a quick, quality cup of joe any time for any reason.
Cuisinart has a few different single-serve models, so let’s break these down and tally up the pros and cons for each of them.
Similar in styling to a Keurig machine, the Cuisinart Premium Single-serve coffee maker has a similar set of features, as well. The 72 oz. water reservoir will last through cup after cup without a fuss and it offers a number of cup-size options to suit whatever you need at whatever time of day, from 4 oz. up to 12 oz., so having a big mug of joe to start your day and a little something-something mid-afternoon to keep your spirits up is no sweat for this machine.
Less than 10 pounds and only 9.3 inches in width and 12 in height, it won’t take up a disproportionate amount of space on a countertop. Despite its compact size, it offers a number of convenient features, including auto-off in 30 minutes, programmable 24-hour function, and a reusable filter cup.
As a big fan of multi-task items, the Cuisinart Coffee Center Maker has a lot of the things that we like to see in a machine. It’s capable of brewing a full 12-cup pot when company is around but it can also burble out a 6-oz. pick-me-up closer to evening when you’ve let procrastination get the best of you.
Not much larger than the Cuisinart SS 10 Premium, it clocks in at 12 pounds but offers a lot more bang for the extra weight. Fully programmable, this model also boasts a “Bold” option for stronger coffee, a Brew Pause™ function to snag a bit from a big pot before it’s done, and a gold tone coffee filter for a “purer” coffee taste.
Boasting what is arguably the fanciest name, the Buona Tazza is a Cuisinart model for Illy, the famous Italian espresso makers. This single serve goes beyond just making a cup of coffee—it can also make a cappuccino, latte, shot of espresso, and more, making mornings a bit fancier than the average machine.
The Buona Tazza boasts both a water and milk reservoir, a frothing wand, and an adjustable (and removable) drip tray. Both the water and milk reservoirs heat simultaneously so you don’t have to wait any longer than you would for a single reservoir machine, and it uses 19 bars of pressure to brew your beans. The eight buttons lining the center display provide options for single or double espresso, traditional coffee, manual flavor strength, steam, one-touch latte and cappuccino, and hotter temperature settings.
Best Cuisinart Automatic Coffee Makers
Opting for a standard coffee maker, one that makes a full pot first thing in the morning, is a good, classic option. I make a big pot in the morning, drink a cup while getting ready, then fill my large travel mug on the way out the door.
Cuisinart has a number of automatic coffee makers to peruse, so let’s break them down and see which one fits the bill for your household.
Weighing in at less than 9 pounds, the Cuisinart PerfecTemp is a compact machine with a no-nonsense exterior that provides more options than meets the eye. This beauty could technically be included as a single-serve machine thanks to its multi-cup capabilities. You can opt to brew between 1-4 cups or as many as 14 in the glass carafe, a standout option not available on more coffeemakers.
Similar to its adjustable brewing options, you can also decide when you want the machine to auto-shut off—anywhere between 0-4 hours, another unique feature not found on many other machines. You can also take advantage of functions like “Hotter Coffee,” Strength Control, Extreme Brew, and Brew Pause™ because the PerfecTemp appreciates coffee in all forms.
This interesting machine may look like a single-serve one, but it actually just puts a fresh spin on a standard full-pot brewer. The 60 oz. reservoir is removable, as well as the drip tray, but that’s it.
The Coffee-on-Demand operates sans carafe, which is the most unique aspect of the machine. While the interior double-walled coffee reservoir isn’t visible, there’s a nifty gauge on the front of the machine modeled after a vehicle gas gauge—when it’s hovering over E, you know it’s time to refuel. This Cuisinart also offers the option to brew between 1-4 cups as well as a full 12, because we all know that options are golden.
If you have it in you to open your wallet a little bit further for your morning brew, the Cuisinart Pour Over is a very enticing model. Pour over is typically lauded as superior to other methods of coffee making, but the primary downside is that it requires focus and effort pre-caffeination. The Pour Over Brewer automates the process so you can enjoy the quality of this method without the fuss.
The glass carafe can hold up to 8 cups of coffee and sits atop a heater that will keep it warm for up to two hours— a fairly typical “stay warm” length of time. You can also customize the strength and temperature on the Cuisinart Pour Over Brewer, which is always a bonus for finicky coffee drinkers.
Best Cuisinart Coffee Makers with a Grinder
We’ve said it before and we’ll say it again— we love a good multitasking machine, especially if it saves space and money simultaneously. Buying a nice grinder and a nice coffeemaker can be a lot for both the counters and your wallet, so buying a two-for-one just makes sense. Cuisinart has a few different models in their Grind & Brew line to consider, so let’s take a look.
Tackling this machine from top to bottom, the grinder sits atop this stainless steel body like a beautiful bean-adorned crown. Capable of holding a half-pound (8 ounces) of beans, a simple dial on the front allows you to control the optimal grind size. The machine automatically grinds before brewing and, like previous entries on this list, it also offers a 2-4 cup brew option.
The double-walled stainless steel carafe can hold up to twelve 5-ounce cups of coffee and can be set to auto-on/off up to 24 hours in advance.
This model is similar to the previous Grind & Brew, the DGB-900BC, but with a distinctly different styling and separate grind and filter areas—it’s also easier on your wallet. The separation between the functions also allows for easier cleaning at the end of the day, which is a nice touch.
The machine comes with a scoop and a brush and many of the same programmable features as previous models on this list: brew between 2-4 cups and up to 12, auto on/off, and the Brew Pause™ feature.
The Grind-and-Brew Thermal falls somewhere between the previous two models with an entirely different styling. It’s features are directly inline with the 550BK, except rather than a hot plate for a glass carafe, the 650BC offers a double-walled stainless steel thermal carafe that keeps the existing heat in.
This machine has the Brew Pause™ so you can sneak a mug full from the 10-cup total, or you can opt to brew as little as 1-4 cups. It automatically grinds and brews, and the feature can be shut off so you can also enjoy some pre-ground coffee, too.
Cuisinart Coffee Maker Parts
Cuisinart coffee machines have a few signifying features that are uniform across most models, such as their shower head water dispenser. The gold tone reusable filter is a standard across all but single-serve models and is available for a fairly inexpensive price if it needs to be replaced. This means you don’t have to fiddle with paper filters, which is a huge plus.
In fact, many of the Cuisinart coffee maker parts are easily available, including grinders, coffee reservoirs, water reservoirs, filter holders, carafes, lids… You name it and you can likely find it and buy it. Just be sure to keep an eye on those model numbers before adding it to your cart.
Cuisinart Coffee Maker Instructions
The different categories of Cuisinart machines often function similarly, but each comes with its own manual that breaks down everything from opening the box and unpacking the machine to cleaning it out after usage. To the point and straight forward, it’s easy enough to get set up and get going.
How to Clean a Cuisinart Coffee Maker
When it comes to cleaning your machine, the rule of thumb is not to use any harsh cleaning agents.
After every use…
You should clean the filter on your machine. Rinse it with water and wipe the filter basket with a damp cloth. You can also put the filter, carafe, and lid in the upper rack of your dishwasher if you’re not feeling like doing it by hand.
When the Clean Light Goes On…
All coffee makers can suffer from the same problem: calcium buildup. The best thing you can do is handle it every time the appropriate light goes on. It’s super easy—all you need is a ⅓ a cup of white vinegar, some water, and to hit the “Clean” button. The user manual gives you a step-by-step breakdown for your specific machine type, so just make sure to keep an eye on the light.
How to Properly Change Your Cuisinart Filter
One of Cuisinart’s mantras is that coffee is 98% water—they right to highlight that. It’s more of a fact than a mantra, but let’s go with it. Clean, uncontaminated water is key to making a solid cup of joe, which is one of the reasons why they really advocate for swapping the charcoal filter out regularly.
For an optimal coffee experience, you’ll want to change yours every sixty days (or two months). Every pack purchased comes with two filters in recyclable bags, which is always a nice touch. Open the water reservoir and pull out the filter container, remove the old charcoal filter, and replace it with the new one. Run the container holding the new filter underwater for roughly 10 seconds before placing inside your machine.
Easy peasy lemon squeezy.
Cuisinart Troubleshooting
Cuisinart offers a limited 3-year warranty on most of its coffee makers, but, if you’re anything like me, I’d prefer to google it and sort it out myself if at all possible. In light of that, let’s chat through a few of the common problems people have encountered with their Cuisinart— both user and machine error.
The brew time is increasing or brewing is not starting when it should.
The likely answer to any problem regarding the length of brewing time likely has to do with calcification. Run the “Clean” cycle at least twice and try again. If that doesn’t solve the problem it would be very surprising, but outside of that, you’ll likely want to contact customer service.
The lid on my machine keeps leaking.
Oftentimes, this is because of a broken or because it’s clogged. If it’s broken, you’ll have to order a new one to correct the problem. If it isn’t, then a good soaking in hot, soapy water may be all in needs! Dust and oils build up and create blockages— once those are eliminated, it should function like it’s supposed to again.
My filter keeps overflowing.
So, each filter is capable of holding a certain amount of grounds. If you exceed that, it can result in some really messy overflowing. Because many of the machines are plastic, they’re fairly easy to pry apart with some care and a flat-head screw, but that’s not an ideal situation. The best way to prevent this unfortunate circumstance is to double-check how much the basket can handle and not exceed that amount.
In Conclusion
Cuisinart makes some top-notch coffee makers, along with its other array of kitchen machines. Whether you’re looking for a single-serve, automatic, or combo machine, Cuisinart has an option for your morning java. Figure out what you want out of your coffee machine and find the model that best suits your lifestyle.
